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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. swing — music
  6. cue — for pool
  7. swing — in golf
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. club — for golf
  11. file — a document
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. content — the amount
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. swing — to play on
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. club — a group
  19. file — a tool
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com